Boarding Cards
 

I think it's funny when pax board and you ask to see their boarding card and they don't show it to you they just say "I'm with her" and indicate the person in front!!

Also, our fwd crew member has to stand at the bottom of the steps for boarding, and pax come to the front with row 20 seats for example. When I say that they need to board at the back, they argue and say "well we've been told to get on at the front".

One particular person stood there arguing with me and I said something along the lines of "We board rows 1-15 at the front and 16-30 at the rear, therefore not causing congestion inside the cabin and making it easier and less time consuming to board", well they weren't happy with that, because they'd been already told to get on at the front and thought I was just trying to make their day difficult. They spent the whole flight glaring at me and making me feel uncomfortable. I'd not even been rude or abrupt, I'd just explained why. It's not my fault that the handling agent had given out the wrong info...

Hello reading these posts make me laugh i love pax behavior!!
JUL13 i would of just let him go in front and when all the other pax are huffing and puffing at him because he would have been stuggling all the way through to get to his sit. I would have the expression well i told you so!!!!:hmm:he probley would of found something else to moan at though?? i call it the victor meldrew syndrome hehe

Really? - that last one makes me weep! Passengers are not a separate species to Cabin Crew - they are the same. Something seems to happen to otherwise normal people when they are given a uniform and told they are Cabin Crew: They stop talking 'TO' people and start talking 'AT' them. JUL13 offers a typical example...

And you thought that would help? Are you surprised that they were irritated? Wouldn't you be if somebody spouted the company line at you in defiance of normal spoken English and human behaviour. Wouldn't it be simpler to just smile and let them on without a patronising lecture?

Fault, no - but by asssociation, you are responsible. Passengers neither know nor care who provides a handling service: Why should they? In this case they just knew that they had been told two completely contradictory things by different people. A little empathy wouldn't go amiss?

I do apologise if i upset anyone that i find human nature funny sometimes??
its amazing how you know that JUL13 was talking to the passenger in a way that was patronising?????

Don't forget that pax also hear what they want to hear.:rolleyes:

If it makes any of you cabin crew guys and gals feel better, I usually travel on my own, and being a fit (ish) single bloke I usually get the emergengy exit seat or whatever it's called.
When you're doing the we're all going to die unless you do this right speech, I am paying a lot of attention.
I appreciate what you're all doing.
Then I make sure how to work the door. And ask if I'm in any doubt whatsoever.
Sod the peanuts. You're there to save me. Hopefully.
Chances are slim if we crash, but it would be nice to have a go at helping.

But their are some really obnoxious people SLF, 'I wanna drink, you, you, Iwanna drink.'
Don't know how you put up with it.
Fos hopefully polite SLF

dog ears i don't know why you are presuming i said it in a nasty patronising way, i simply explained to the pax WHY i'd asked him to do the opposite of what he'd been told. i EXPLAINED to him, i didnt talk down to him. in my eyes if someone understands something then they will see your reasoning. AND i certainly dont think that just cos i'm crew i'm above everyone.

why are you in such an attacking mood anyway?

arent I allowed to contribute with my experiences?

well said appaddyinuk..I aggree with you 100%!! Keep up the good work guys!!!! ...and..keep that smile going!!!!!

Hi all, this is my first posting....I've been having quite a giggle at these.
Can't help but bring up the "tea & coffee" drama with pax's again. When after many L/H flights I became quite frustrated with having to repeat the tea & coffee offerings to pax with headphones on. So I decided that when I approached a pax with headphones on, I would just move my lips without saying anything. So when they took their headphones off, I would only have to say it once!!!! I actually got an applause from pax (minus headphones) in the row behind.

Flight down to Jo'burg (BA crew working as No.8 on High J 744) Stood in my cabin position waiting to point at doors and thinking about whether I had remembered to pack the Jungle Formula or not baby starts screaming. Old Dear sat in Forward Facing Club Seat next to Bassinett starts follwing conversation (obviously had a few sherry's in T4)

Pax (at top of voice): Their lovely when they're yours otherwise complete buggers aren't they?
(Mother of child looks to me in disbelief)
Me: (Winking at Mum) I'm sure he's just startled by the egine start up really look he's quite cute.
Pax: Oh not really that bothered dear, one other thing though you have these rear facing seats on BA don't you I hope I'm not in one?
ME: No you came on at the front of the aircraft so you can see you;re facing forwards right now.
Pax: Yes but once we push back it'll be goign in the opposite direction won't it:
Me: (a little dumfounded) It can only fly in one direction Madame,
Pax: well we're going the other way now.
ME: Yes we're being pushed back by a tug though the aircraft still flies nose first,
Pax: You're just lying so you don't have to move me....

Found her lost in Economy later in flight - presumably looing for the front.


And my favourite standard one:

CC: Tea or Coffee Sir
Pax: I'll have a Beer Please.....


And old Dolly with little time left for people I once flew with (she is actually great but just doesn't suffer fools gladly)

other CC: Can I just see your boarding Card one last time please sir.
Pax: 22K
other CC: I still need to see sir
Pax: 22K
other CC: Sir I shan't be coming to see you in flight so not even vaguely interested in where you are sitting but I can tell you that it will be somewhere in the terminal if you don't show me your boarding card.
Pax: I told you I am in 22K
Me: (Holding back tears) Sir we do need to see your boarding card
Pax: Of course you only had to ask.
Other CC: (Practically explodes on the spot she was scottish he American and obviously didn't understand)

I know you guys aren't all bad at Understanding us but when u r it's quite funny.


Oooh another one.

US Pax: is the USA in the European Union
Me: Not since the Colonial uprising sir.
US Pax: [Completely unsure what I just said]
Other Pax: Almost has to spit her tea out tp laugh.
(guess I'm cute enough to get away with a little cheak with the right passengers).

Nutty Solution
 

Usually when they ask me for the nuts,I hand over the savoury biscuits and tell the pax to pretend it's nuts. Usually gets a chuckle out of them:O

Something happens to Cabin crew when they don a uniform??
 

....Well something also happens to pax when they check their luggage in - more often than not they check their brains in with it.

- Why, when pax given a neatly packed snack box, can they not repack it so that the lid closes when they're done eating and drinking? There's less stuff to fit in the box than before? Just means we have to stand there and touch there used cups, napkins etc. And when we're not allowed to where gloves, thats not pleasant.

- Pax who enter the toilets barefoot.....eeeeuuuuuuwwwwwwwwwwww

- Don't care how many times you've flown, which CEO you're friends with, you're still not permitted to bring oversized bags on board. It's a rule and doesn't change due to your seat number or any initials that precede your name.

- One pax, who'd seen on one of those "how to save money when travelling" tv shows, told me to get him a scotch and coke (minus the "please"). Then gave me a $50 note, mistakenly thinking we wouldn't have enough change and therefore he would receive his drink free. Not so. He received his change in a cup - it was $45 in coins of the smallest denomination I could gather amongst the crew. But I gave him a dazzling smile.

- If you as a pax can't lift your own bag into the overhead locker because its waaaay tooo heavy, do you really expect me to potentially injure myself and try and do it for you? Good rule of thumb - if you can't lift it, neither can we. We may be able make a meal out of galley dry stores when pressed, but thats about as far as our superhero powers extend.

- One pax, when given her specially ordered meal (lacto ovo vegetarian) took one look at it and decided she wanted what her husband was having (fish poached in coconut milk. Kind of not lacto ovo vego.) Tho she was a rude cow about it, I complied. Then she demanded that I take her special meal and "show this to the captain so he can see what you make us eat!!" HUH? Why would he care? So I told her I was unable to do so and that the captain neither cared nor had anything to do with the food and chances were, his meal was probably worse than hers. Of course, this didn't shut her up and she went on to complain about something else......

People who you bend over backwards for and they are still not happy have real issues. Thank god they are in the minority otherwise it would make the job mighty unpleasant......

So sorry, HostieHoney-San

It is not the customers job or duty to re-pack snack boxes for disposal: It is yours.

Put together with your other petty complaints and your stated contempt for customers who apparently "more often than not they check their brains in with it." and an observer would have to query your suitability for your chosen career path.

So Matt101 - funnily enough I drink neither tea nor coffee, so yes, if you ask me "tea or coffee sir?", then usually I'll ask for a beer (chilled at that!!!)..

Petty complaints?
 

Um, maybe I read the title of this thread wrong.....I thought it was titled "Thick Passenger Comments" and I'm pretty certain I wasn't the one who started it....and there's more than a few pages to this thread I've noticed.

Funnily enough - the "check their brains in wih their baggage" phrase has been bandied around airlines by flight attendants long before I started flying so I can only guess there's a reason for that. I remember first hearing it from a long time CSM...

I could have gone on for ages about all the lovely people I've had the pleasure of dealing with, but thats not appropriate to this particular thread.

Anyways, dealing with the public in ANY job, flying or otherwise, is one of the most difficult, and is not always pleasant, no matter how you want to dress it up, because thats the very nature of people.

And I just re-read my post, and at no instance did I "state contempt" for customers. My spotless career record and letters of thanks and commendation from various pax back up my chosen career path. As such, dog ears up, an observer would have to question why you would read this thread when history shows that the postings are not to your liking. But each to their own....we just shouldn't be so hasty to judge our colleagues, should we....

Page 8
 

And just to back up my comment - refer to Flygirl's comment on page 8......

One more thing, dog ears up, in your haste to deem me an unsuitable flight attendant, you seem to have missed my last line whereby I stated that somewhat "painful" are in the minority.

Folks its been stated on this thread more than once - if you don't like what you are reading, DON'T READ IT!

This thread is a "therapy" thread for Cabin Crew... No malice intended... if you don't like it, you know where the door is :ok:

Simple concept...

This is for HostieHoney ........

As this is about "thick passenger comments " - it is only about crew sharing the quirky side of the job - what people come out with - I have loads I could share.

What passengers sometimes say onboard is funny but no cause for your reaction. I think you have taken it too seriously.

AGAIN - It is for sharing our experiences.

Have to agree , the general public can be incredibly thick at times, as slf and working in retail( major supermarket that likes its staff to smack their bums!!!!), so further down the rung than you guys, the comments and questions we get off customers, would out do you guys and yes its very hard to bite your tongue when your gettin spoke to like crap,by some idiot that thinks he knows the ins and outs of the business cause he/she has seen a programme or 2 on t.v!!
If i wore a hat i'd take it off for yer!!!:D:D:D
Personaly i always try to be as polite and friendly as poss, end of day i think i get better service in return then....Keep up the good work.:ok:

Relax y'all
 

My god some people just can't handle a bit of a joke! I like to hear that other people have to deal with the same *#$^ I do too and here's a nice place to vent! If you dont like it- DONT READ IT! Maybe some of you could get together and start a new thread "I love passengers" "Passengers are my life" "Anything for you sir/madam- I am your servant" ???!!!

It's a well known fact that pax check their brains with their bags. It's not a criticism, it's a fact.

This thread is brilliant therapy for all of us on the front line (in the air and on the ground.) Pax do say very daft things, but laughing at it helps keep us sane and stop us from going totally doolally.

If this thread offends you then I suggest you try a diffent forum, perhaps one for frequent flyers talk?

No - it's not a fact - honestly... I know you think it is, but it's really not. It's a generalization (look it up), and as is often the case with generalizations, it's substantially innaccurate (BTW - that's another generalization). It also is a criticism (again, look the word up), and in both posts where it has been used it has been intended to be so.

You're missing my point about this thread, which is not your fault but mine, for failing to provide clarity.

Yes, people say and do funny things when being subjected to aviation. Some are genuinely funny, some were funny the first time that you heard them but lose something when repeated for the hundredth time as is the case with many of the posts on this thread: However, that may just be because I've been flying too long.

Most importantly, some of the posts on this thread reveal rather more about the attitudes of the person posting than was intended. Those are the posts I have an issue with.

Human Beings are the hard currency of our profession, and we are, by definition, imperfect. We all are, incertain situations, prone to doing and saying odd things, and that applies to CC as well. There is a point where we stop laughing with others, and start laughing at them, and that is not a good place to be.

I'm not offended by this thread, simply by a small number of the sillier things said - when those things reflect discredit on my profession, and the work of those crew who take their customers requirements in a more mature manner then I reserve the right to complain about it. The idea that a thread can be therapy or can maintain sanity is rather childish: Our job is as CC, not as troops on extended combat ops in Iraq - overstating the case just makes us sound foolish.

I had a flight where an economy passengers 3 children kept running through the curtain into business screaming on a night flight.


Me "Sir can you please tell your children to stop running into the business class cabin there are passengers trying to sleep and they are disturbing them"

Pax: "That's really none of your business is it."

Me "Well sir I am here to ensure our passengers have an enjoyable flight. There have been complaints from passengers regarding your children f so actually it is my business"

Pax "Why don't you just lock the door?"

Me "Sir can you please explain to me how I can lock a curtain?"

Pax: "They are children they can do what they want to I'm not going to stop them."

I contemplated running one of the little turds over with a cart or giving them a cheeky high heel on the toes but I figured they had been punished enough by having this loser as a father.

Our worst enemy
 

During training I was told many times (by trainers) that pax are our worst enemy ;).
After 8 years in the industry I would say even more: They pack their brain even before driving their way to the airport. So as counterattack I switch off mine :eek:(I mean, my brain)
This is not a critic:=
It is a proven fact:D

Cheers!

No, it's not. Sorry, but it isn't - it is an opinion, or a perception or a generalization, but it is not a fact. You can say it as many times as you want but it does not make it a fact just because you want it to be. This is pretty basic stuff involving basic English usage. If English is not your first language then this is understandable - if English is your first language, then you should really think a bit harder before writing.

If you switch off your brain when flying then you are failing in your duties to your employer and your customers and should be working in some other field.

As incredibly nail-bitingly exciting as your debate is regarding whats fact and whats not, could you please take it to Private Message and leave the rest of us to enjoy this thread for what its intended - light hearted humour - or, dare I even say (lest I incur the wrath of the "take-it-literally" police), therapy

:)

Fair enough - I'll keep quiet (unless of course, somebody else posts something that reflects badly on our profession or ourselves)

BTW - in a forum where there is no audible or visible communication - only the written word - we have no choice but to take things literally: We can only work with what has been written, nothing else is available. One way to get around the problem of being taken literally would be to write with some attempt at precision and thought, instead of gush and emotive cliche - or to preface such writing with a warning such as "Here I'm writing trivial, childish and cliched nonsense because I'm too lazy to think for myself and anyway most people will probably understand what I mean, more or less, although I don't really care that much"

I don't expect this to make a blind bit off difference, but I'll give you a break (for now) - I'll get my coat!
Missing you already... ;)

Hi love!
 

Hi Dogs ears up!!
Yes you're right, English is not my first language. I'm still trying hard to improve it, but I need your support and understanding. Thank you very much for that.
About failing in my duties to my employer, I have a different opinion. I think they're failing first to us with so many temp contracts, crap conditions, low salaries, minimum rests, minimum crew compliment on flights, cost cutting on salaries(again) and employee benefits, exhausting rosters and a veeeery long etcetera I'm sure you are very well aware of. And I guess in your country it's still within reasonable limits. I could invite you to come and work as crew in my country or in many others not so far from yours.

Failing to my customers??!!..., I'm still as enthusiastic and hard work as the first day I got on a plane, whilst I cannot say the same about companies: overbooking, fraudulent cancelations, poor manteniance of their fleets, smaller seats, lack of experienced staff, abusive conditions, etc, etc...

So, bearing all this in mind and still steping on a plane with 300 or more lovely -but demanding- pax, I'm pretty sure you agree with me that certain level of "switched off" brain is required, as well as your industrial smile.:)

Try another field??, I have worked as baker and as bricklayer before, but I realized long ago that air crew is by far more fun.

Anyway, lets keep up the good job! (we're the only ones who still do it).

Cheers!!

[Quote/]
So Matt101 - funnily enough I drink neither tea nor coffee, so yes, if you ask me "tea or coffee sir?", then usually I'll ask for a beer (chilled at that!!!).. [/Quote]

And happy to get it for you I post with amusement not resentment I just find things onboard abotu our job make me chuckle a lot really and the question "tea or coffee" simply being replied to with "bear" or "yes please" or any other number of thiings makes me chuckle.

Other things that make me laugh are things pax do, crew do, ground staff do, tech crew do, all of that. It's a bizarre industry at times so please don't take offence I didn't mean any.

and PS I usually raid all the beers from the bars and put them on ice at the beginning of the flight as I can't stand serving warm lager - hope you would approve?

Matt :-)

Dogs: If anyone seems not to belong in this forum it must be YOU. Can you please stop destroying a threat that a lot of other people enjoy (the number of pages in this thread speaks for itself), just because you feel you are a saint above all. Obviously you belong in some church-forum with likeminded boring nuns

You are an annoying thing that should find somewhere else to go, when you can not accept other people writing about their experiences and funny comments/thoughts on a board, ESPECIALLY in a thread designated EXCACTLY for that. :ugh:

I really hope you are not one of my CC, as i like to have humans working in the back.

Girls and Guys, keep it all coming. It is all great fun to read. And those pax reading along might learn a thing or two about what not to do :}

• A threat?
• a saint?
• Nuns?
• thaughts?
• comming?

Pretty much EXCACTLY what I was saying previously - never mind - leave me in peace now, and I'll do the same for you...

Well dressed gent, perhaps a lawyer, was interviewed by a TV science programme while standing in line at the check-in for a trans-con flight. He was asked to explain the theory of flight. "That is an easy one", he said, "the aircraft gains speed, and then releases".

Older couple sitting beside me on a NWA flight from Orlando to Minneapolis-St. Paul, VMC day, bright sunshine, on finals. She turns to her husband and asks, "Are we being flown by the controllers on the ground now?" Clutching her hand, he replies, "Yes dear, we are".

Boy theres some miserable so 'n' so's on here
 

BRILL THREAD.....had me chuckling hearing some of those stories. :ok:

Being the Freight Dog kinda fella, I'm glad I don't have to put up with pax on a regular basis...I'd have probably been lock up by now :ugh:

Seems a few people on here though have nothing better to do than try and find a way to complain / bitch / gripe / whatever about what stories people are recalling..... in what is obviously a thread meant for a bit of fun.

To those pepole who seem to have a problem with this thread do yourself and the people on this thread a favour...Foxtrot Oscar, and let the people who are taking the time to post there memories keep us entertained.

Remember the line that the ugly dude in Total Recall said to Arnie "Relax....You'll live longer"

Oh no.... wait ... somebody is bound to reply now asking me to provide written documented proof that relaxing makes you live longer ...just for the record...I was joking (wanted to clear that up for some of the more serious types in here) ;)

Again....great thread boys and girls...keep it up :D

I work with the general public at the moment, and sometimes it's really hard to stand there with a smile on your face, and try very hard not to patronize them!

"I had a flight where an economy passengers 3 children kept running through the curtain into business screaming on a night flight.


Me "Sir can you please tell your children to stop running into the business class cabin there are passengers trying to sleep and they are disturbing them"

Pax: "That's really none of your business is it."

Me "Well sir I am here to ensure our passengers have an enjoyable flight. There have been complaints from passengers regarding your children f so actually it is my business"

Pax "Why don't you just lock the door?"

Me "Sir can you please explain to me how I can lock a curtain?"

Pax: "They are children they can do what they want to I'm not going to stop them."

I contemplated running one of the little turds over with a cart or giving them a cheeky high heel on the toes but I figured they had been punished enough by having this loser as a father."

Perhaps an invitation to the children to go outside and play, would have been in order.

to all CCs
 

hi,
just a couple of things from us ground staff.

When on a flt into LGW the PA announced that we would be disembarking from the rear onto buses to take us to the correct arrivals. Being sat at the front with a couple of colleagues including a Duty Manager we got our bags out and sat back down waiting for the queue to clear. Unfortunately another Club pap had other ideas and stormed up to have a go at the NO.1 as to why he couldn't disembark at the front, he'd paid club fare specially so he could get off first, was going to write to the CEO, and finally demanded to see the captain. After yelling at the captain who with the NO.1 was rationally talking to this pap (god knows how) he then proceded to call his office on the mobile and demand that they took his dictated letter down and mailed ASAP. What an a***hole there really is no need for that and we were absolutely gobsmacked by this.

A couple of days ago, due fog, our flts were running approx 3hrs behind which from our point of vview is better than i could be. After calling and calling these particular 2 pax we offloaded them and the a/c departed. Roughly 10mins later i get a call from another dispatcher working on the next flt out of that gate saying that these pax had turned up and wanted to speak to me about why i didn't hold the flight for them!!

I have total respect for all CCs. I can walk away from a pap (or pack as they like to form on some flights) where as you guys & gals have no where to go up there. i could never do your job. congrats and keep smiling even though somedays you don't feel like it.

:ok::ok::ok:

Crazy people
 

My flights tend to be a non event but a couple of weeks ago this really tickled me.

I was stood at the overwings (row 14) and we boarded the a/c using steps at the front. Man huffing and puffing, and wife looking as though she is going to have a fit (American, guys,and am sorry if I offend anyone). He's yelling where's row 1? (behind you, I thought, you just passed it as you got on, and at the front at that. Doh:ugh:) But smiling I just explained it was at the front.
Felt sorry for the poor loves, tired, emotional etc. However then the wife is bemoaning the fact they are split up and they had to sit together. Thinking dear God I don't need this on a full flight, I looks at their boarding cards 1d and 1F.(upgrades, ah well, good for them) Said I would sort it, only had to move the person in 1E. At this point am still smiling (it's the meds, honest:p)
Situation sorted.

Then giving the meals out in club, He takes his meal: a cold chicken salad with cous cous (tastes nicer than it sounds) as soon as my back is turned, he hollers this meal is cold. I reply yes sir it's supposed to be, but I ended up splitting my sides as was the ff woman behind. I just sometimes dunno what people say and do. Still tickled me. Muppets.

Not so much a "Thick Passenger Comment", but still something that left me speechless...

As any self-respecting Aussie would know, we are currently in the middle of the greatest contest known to Rugby League - the State of Origin series. Two teams - Queensland (the Maroons), and New South Wales (the Blues) play each other over 3 games spread across about 9 weeks I think.

Anyway, I am a Blues supporter, and arriving into Brisbane from Sydney a few days ago (the night of the 2nd match - which NSW subsequently lost, and therefore the series :{ ) I said in my landing PA "oh and for those of you off to the pub to watch the game, have a good night - and Go the Blues". Arrive at the gate, pax disembarking, me standing there with arms behind back farewelling them. Youngish male pax comes up and says "Go Maroons"... naturally my response was "Go Blues" - to which he promptly gave me a Nipple Cripple!!!!! R1 crewmember standing there nearly collapsed in fits of hysterics, and I was totally dumbfounded......... the worst part was he wasnt even that attractive :ugh:

ah, the glamourous life of a flight attendant!

Oh and for the record, I am a guy - for those wondering about the "nipple cripple" concept on a female :eek:

ahhhh the myth continues.............

I am SLF but have EVERY sympathy with you CC.

Especially those of you having to deal with British chavs, you must just love finding out you're on a summer flight to anywhere in the Med.

Anyway, a diversion; an ex of mine worked for P&O doing the Dover-Calais Calais-Dover run twice a day.

She once had call to collar a guy who was still in the vehicle area after pre-launch checks had been completed. There he was, trying desperately to fit a steering wheel to clutch pedal immobiliser to his car.

On a ferry.

As my ex said to him, if they manage to break into your car, it's in the middle of hundreds of other cars and is in the middle of the English Channel, where is it going to go?

He reported her for her flippant attitude.........

Never ever forget that even if they ARE paying your wages, a chav is still a chav...............